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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. content — the amount
  4. deal — to handle
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. present — a gift
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. bear — the animal
  10. can — a tin
  11. stock — goods
  12. content — happy
  13. tube — the underground
  14. present — the time now
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. stock — shares
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. can — a tin
  21. can — to be able to
  22. bear — the animal
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. present — there

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com